Baby Business
by displacedtexan
Summary: Kotoko is pregnant. Part of Kotoko Volant universe, several years after Hospital Hijinks.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Again, I do not own Itakiss.**

* * *

"Aren't I getting a little old for this, Dylan-san?"

"What do you mean, darling?" Dylan and Kotoko were riding back to the Pandai offices after a public Kotorin appearance.

"Well, I'm now closer to thirty than I am twenty," she pointed out. "The character is animated, and she isn't aging with me."

He laughed gently. "That's because Kotorin is ageless. Don't worry," he patted her knee, "I'll let you know when you have too many gray hairs and crow's feet to continue."

She stuck her tongue out at him. "I'm not a crone yet!"

"But you still need to watch what you eat," he reminded her. "We can't purchase those costumes off the rack of a department store!"

"It's so unfair!" Kotoko tugged at the tight neckline. "After all these years of being small-chested, when I finally start to get something up here, you complain about it."

"If it was that important, we would pad the costume," he told her absently, checking for mail on his phone.

"But that was the way she was drawn originally!" she protested before being diverted by his action. "Are you looking for a message from Ken-san?"

"Hmm? Yes, nothing yet."

"Well, he _is_ in Hawaii…" she sighed.

"Why are you acting as if you enjoyed it there?" he teased. "You were in a crappy mood most of the time during our Pacific tour."

"Well, it was scheduled so that I missed my monthly trip to Kobe to see Naoki," she gave him a pouty face. "On my birthday, too!"

"You zipped down there as soon as we returned, didn't you?" Dylan put away his phone. "How much longer does he have?"

"He'll be back for good in two weeks."

"You two should take another honeymoon after this year apart. Maybe show him Australia. I hear that they've finally recovered from the shrimp shortage they suffered after we visited."

"Hey! Can I help it if they fix it in yummy ways? Although I prefer Japanese recipes the best…"

"We'll be passing near your father's restaurant. Do you want to stop by and get some?"

"No." She rubbed her tummy. "I think I either have a slight bug or have been eating something that disagrees with me. Even though Okaasan prepares a different dinner each night." Dylan narrowed his eyes and turned to her. "What?"

"It's been two months since the end of the tour, hasn't it?"

"I think that's about right. You're the manager—you should know."

Dylan leaned forward and spoke to the driver. "Pull over in the next block for a moment." He jumped out of the car and ran into a store.

"So sudden!" Kotoko pulled out her own phone. "I'll see if Satomi and Jinko want to come over to the house tomorrow."

After a moment Dylan landed in the seat next to her. "Okay, let's go to headquarters now." When they arrived at Pandai, he escorted her to his office, handed her the bag, and pointed her in the direction of the washroom. "Go."

Kotoko opened the bag. _A pregnancy test?_

She quietly exited a few minutes later. Dylan was pulling up files on his computer. "Don't say a word, since if what I suspect is true, someone else should be the first you tell. Just show me the stick." He leaned over. "Mm-hm. Okay. Let me start on schedule adjustments. You!" he pointed at Kotoko, "go find a quiet spot and phone Naoki. Seems like when you surprised him in Kobe you forgot something important."

* * *

 **A/N: Just a little teaser of an opening chapter. More to come later, but I'm trying to make sure I tie up all the loose ends so there may be some delay.**


	2. Chapter 2

"I wonder why Dylan-san wanted me in on this meeting," Naoki complained. He had barely made it back to Tokyo before receiving a summons to appear at Pandai with his wife. "I haven't even had a chance to report in at the hospital yet. After all, Kotorin is _your_ business, although I don't know how they're going to explain a space pregnancy."

Kotoko made a moue. "He insisted that he wants to make sure you're on board with the new program. Beyond that, I don't know any more than you do. And if they _are_ going to make Kotorin pregnant, how much longer do you think we can keep the news from Okaasan?"

"I don't know. I just dread the explosion of excess once she hears."

"And we're going to have to watch her carefully if it's a boy, so she doesn't repeat history."

He closed his eyes. "You _had_ to remind me of that, didn't you?"

She shrugged. "You know it's a possibility."

* * *

Upon arrival, they were ushered into one of the Pandai conference rooms. Dylan's core team was already in attendance and cheered their entrance with cake and balloons. Kotoko accepted their congratulations with blushes, while Naoki shook hands with all of them.

"Okay, people!" Dylan stood at the front of the room. "Kotoko's happy news is not a setback but an opportunity! I've had this idea on the back burner for awhile now, but now is the time," he clicked a remote and the projector lit up, "for us to diversify our product."

"What product?" Kotoko whispered.

"You, apparently," Naoki replied.

"Kotorin's European tour has been cancelled. That one was in five months," Dylan glanced at her, "and I don't think your husband, AKA your _very_ _personal_ physician, would want you to be traveling then." Naoki nodded at him in agreement. "We will only schedule domestic events for about three more months. A new costume design will disguise your, uh, different shape until then. But that's not the headline. What I'd like to announce today is a partnership with Minori of Tokyo for maternity fashion meeting the needs of today's modern woman."

"Aren't there enough of those, though?" Kotoko expressed doubt. "You can find them at almost every department store, and they even have specialty shops."

"Sure. _If_ you prefer boring homogeneity in your clothing. But," he addressed the rest of the room, "we have Kotoko here, the image of the working woman. Started her own business in college, has a second job in a high-profile, technology-related field, yet married with genuine family ties. A strong role model for young women and a sex symbol to boot." He pointed to her. "Remember, you made the list of top ten female entrepreneurs in Tokyo Business magazine."

"Yeah, and if she'd been put on the cover, that would've been the top selling issue for the year," joked Tanaka.

"That's the power of my fanboys," Kotoko acknowledged.

"Anyway, you have the fame to give birth—sorry, I couldn't resist—to this line. Businesslike, yet chic and sexy maternity wear."

"Did he say 'sexy'?"

"Calm down, Naoki-kun, not all of them. Minori has been looking for a real person, not a generic model, for her line. As if that wasn't timely enough, the model under contract for their upcoming spring line has had to go into rehab. Kotoko will take over both and we'll saturate the market even before the baby bump makes its appearance."

"But Dylan-san," Kotoko waved her hands in denial, "All I've done are Kotorin publicity shots and a few magazine articles. I don't know how to be a high-fashion model."

"It doesn't matter, darling. Kenji here," he indicated the freelance photographer who had taken over the Kotorin photography for the past two years, "has been tagged for the job. He has an extensive fashion resumé, so he'll walk you through anything you don't understand."

"So I just show up and wear these clothes?" Kotoko turned to Kenji. "And you tell me where to look and how to pose?"

"I'll be with you all the way," he assured her with a wink. "Not to mention that a top model from France who will be visiting Japan has indicated an interest in being the foil for Kotoko's shots."

"Excuse me," Kotoko raised a hand as if she was back in school, "what do you mean by 'foil'?"

Dylan answered for him. "He means a beautiful backdrop for you, darling. You're the star, but this will add some international cachet to the campaign. We'll know in a few days if it all works out. In the meantime, you have additional contracts to sign and Sasahara here from Minori is going to take your measurements. So go into the adjacent room and strip down for him."

"Strip down—!?"

"Again, calm down, Naoki-kun," Dylan reassured him as the rest of the assembly filed out, "he's as apt to make a pass at her as I am."

Naoki narrowed his eyes. "I don't know. I recall a few times on our honeymoon..."

"It's absolutely lovely teasing you. You're always so serious. Go on in with them if you're that concerned."

* * *

"Now that I have your current measurements, Madame Kotorin," said Sasahara, "can you tell me what differences your pregnancy has already made?"

Kotoko looked at the figures, then cupped her breasts. "These are the only changes. About a ten centimeter increase."

"My! The Titty Fairy blessed you early, huh?"

Naoki laughed as his wife mouthed the phrase after him. "Just don't repeat it in Mom's hearing."

"I know better than that! Although I might try it out on Yuuki-kun to embarrass him."

"I see your relationship didn't changed much in my absence."

"Really, Naoki, of what use are younger siblings except to torment?" She turned to the designer's assistant. "I hope I will be able to do justice to the designs and that your company won't regret using a non-professional."

"Not a bit, dear! That type are ten yen a dozen. You, however, are recognizable and will put Minori-sensei's line on the map, so to speak."

"The sky map maybe," she giggled.

"Well, we plan to shoot for the stars."

"Kotorin _is_ Queen of the Universe."

"If you two have finished trading puns, Kotoko has to sign her new contracts and _we_ have to figure out a way to tell the happy grandparents-to-be!" Naoki broke in.

* * *

"Oh! Oh! Oh!" Naoki had never seen his mother at such a loss for words. Unfortunately, it did not last long. "Kotoko-chan!" she screamed as she rushed the smaller woman and enveloped her in a hug. "Finally, you and Onii-chan are going to give me grandbabies!"

"We didn't exactly do it with you in mind," he muttered.

His brother, next to him, snickered. "Here goes the last remnant of peace in this house."

"No," Naoki corrected Yuuki, "this is relative calm. Just wait until the baby arrives. I understand that colic can keep an entire neighborhood awake."

"I wouldn't think any child of yours would be so rude as to do that, Onii-chan."

"Yes, but it will be part Kotoko," he sighed.

"Ah, yes, Baka-chan's genes are probably dominant."


	3. Chapter 3

"Hello, Kotoko-chan!" The tall nurse paused the wheelchair she was pushing to wave wildly. "I hear that your handsome husband is finally back from the wilds of Kobe."

"Hi, Motoki-chan! It's not that wild down there, just too far away for my taste." She ran up to her friend and hugged her before greeting the patient in the chair. "Good morning, Kyouko-san. How is your manicure holding up?" She bent down to look at the lifted hand. "Ah, I see! I'll come by later and fix those chips for you." After straightening, she asked, "Anything new on the floor?"

"You mean besides the exciting news that you have not yet told me?" she asked archly.

"Is it that obvious?" Kotoko covered her suddenly heated cheeks.

"Silly! Your mother-in-law mass-mailed the entire nursing staff last night. Do you think she's still afraid that we'll try to break you two up to steal her son?"

Kotoko shook her head in exasperation. "Oh, Okaasan!"

"Well, we've got to run. Big physical therapy session coming up! Be extra careful using nail polish and solvents now that you are in a 'delicate' condition. And stop running in the halls!"

* * *

She knocked at the office door. "Enter!" was heard.

"Hello?" She stuck her head inside. "Funatsu-sensei-kun?"

"Ah! Koto—uh, Irie-san!" He managed a smile.

"Why are you changing how you call me?" she asked. "Kotoko-san is fine."

"Well," he fumbled with his glasses, "now that Irie-san has returned from Kobe, I don't want him to think…"

Kotoko had made great strides in making over Funatsu, but she mentally shook her head at the thought that Naoki would be jealous of his socially clumsy workmate. "Don't worry, he won't. Now, let me hear you say it: 'Kotoko-san.'"

"Kotoko-san," he repeated obediently. "Why do you still call me 'Funatsu-sensei-kun'?"

She shrugged. "Habit, I guess. Enough of the pleson—pleasur—making small talk. Let's practice again your request for a date with Marina-san. And remember to wear your contacts when you do so!"

* * *

Two hours later Naoki caught her before she left the hospital. "Have you been working on Funatsu while I was gone?"

She blinked at him. "What makes you think that?"

"Oh, just the fact that it looks like he uses someone besides himself to cut his hair, and his socks actually match."

Kotoko giggled. "Well, you have to admit that small steps are steps. Yes, he's one of my clients."

"Is he still after Marina?"

"Still! And he doesn't even notice that there are several other nurses who are eyeing him now. Especially since the word is out that, despite his talent as a surgeon, Nishigaki-sensei is a real man-slut."

Naoki chuckled. "I don't think that's the way Nishigaki sees himself. More like 'lady's man' or 'playboy physician'."

"Well, _he's_ not a woman!" his wife declared. "But back to Funatsu-sensei: he's so slow in doing anything that he's lucky Marina-san hasn't latched onto another doctor yet. I guess good-looking single ones who are willing to settle down aren't as thick on the ground as she thought they'd be."

"Well, best of luck to him. At least he's no longer drooling after you."

Kotoko halted him with a hand to his arm. "Naoki, half of the Japanese males under the age of thirty are drooling after me, and you're worried about _Funatsu_?"

"Well, he's close by," he muttered, his cheekbones flushing. "And what about Kamogari?"

"He's dating Akiko-chan, that former patient of his. The one that used to be in a wheelchair, remember?"

"I go away for a year and all this happens…"

"And Tomoko-san has been thinking about going to medical school so she can use her personalized scalpel."

He laughed. "The world can always use another good surgeon."

"Dr. Irie! Sensei!" A staff member called him from the counter.

"Well, I've got to go!" He clasped her hand briefly in lieu of a more intimate farewell. "Tell Ma not to wait dinner on me tonight."

Kotoko barely took ten steps before, "Psst! Kotoko-san!"

She turned. "Marina-san! Naoki was just here, asking about you and the others. Have you seen him yet?"

"Irie-san is back!?" Her eyes lit up briefly. "Well, not that it matters, with you two about to increase the population of Japan and all. But I've heard a delicious rumor!"

"What?" Kotoko was all ears.

"There is a celebrity who's supposed to be checking in soon. He's someone outrageously popular in Europe."

"Why is he here in Japan?"

"Who knows? But we're all keeping our eyes peeled. They won't tell us exactly who he is, but we'll figure it out soon."

"I'm sure you will." Kotoko smiled as she waved goodbye. "Keep me posted!"

Her stomach was growling as she descended the steps outside the hospital. "Baby," she addressed her stomach, "you need to give me more warning when you get hungry!"

"Talking to yourself, Kotoko-san?"

She turned and shaded her eyes against the sun. "Who is it?"

"Don't tell me that you've forgotten your own fiancé?" a slender man in reflective sunglasses asked before engulfing her in a huge hug.

* * *

"You shouldn't startle people like that," Kotoko chided her companion over a late lunch. "I might've passed out from shock if I hadn't recognized you, Nobuhiro-kun!"

"You can still call me that, but Nobuyou is my professional name now." He grinned across the table at her. "Didn't you hear that I was coming back?"

"Professional name? Oh! One of the nurses said that a celebrity was going to be checking in! Is that you?" Her face wrinkled in concern. "How have you been? I feel terrible that we didn't keep up with you!"

"Well, when I left to live with Maman in Paris, I underwent an experimental drug treatment. It scrambled my brains for a few months until they got the dosage adjusted. During that time I lost track of everyone. Then once it proved successful and I started feeling better, I lucked into a few modeling gigs and was too busy to even think about reconnecting."

"Modeling! That's a coincidence! I'm supposed to be working with a French model for a new advertising campaign."

He leaned across and tweaked her nose. "That's no coincidence. You're looking at your 'French model' right now."

"But you're so, uh, um, young!"

"Yes," he twinkled at her, "but I'm pretty!"

She sat back. "Yes, you are. You have certainly matured into a handsome young man." Indeed, he had lost any remnant of baby fat. His cheekbones were chiseled and she swore that he was wearing a hint of eyeliner to accentuate his eyes. "But your treatment! Why are you going to the hospital?"

"Well," his eyes dropped and he played with his glass, "the experimental drugs are no longer as effective. The physicians over there recommended that I relocate to Japan for a better chance at a transplant. More Japanese people here, after all!"

Kotoko covered his hands with hers. "Oh, I'll pray that it goes well!"

"Anyway," he dropped the serious tone and winked flirtatiously as her, "are you ready to throw over Naoki-san for me yet?"

"Are you still—"

"No, Kotoko-san." He twisted his wrists until he was holding her hands. "I realize that you were right. But I have to say that you were the very best first love a young man could have! However," he leaned back, "I wouldn't mind continuing to tease my old pal Yuuki about it!"

She laughed. "You're incurr—incon—still naughty!"

Nobuhiro held up a finger. "But fun! So, has Yuuki-kun fallen in love yet?"

"Hmph!" Kotoko grunted. "I can't tell with him. He's almost as frustrating as his brother."

"Oh, do tell!"

"There's a girl his age who he tutors several times a week. She is absolutely crazy about him. I see my past in her so much that I ache for her. Then he also meets with a financial genius who is a couple years older than him. But I can't wheedle out of him if he likes either one!"

"Why don't you let me have a whack at it?"

"Huh?"

"It'll be fun to see him again, and even more fun to flirt with his girls." He fluttered his lashes at her. "I'm a cute celebrity, you know. We can tell who he likes by who he gets maddest about."

"You are so bad!" Kotoko chided him admiringly. "I like the way you think!"


	4. Chapter 4

"Thank you very much for attending Pandai's Annual Children's Christmas Party!" The announcement signaled the end of a three-hour-long appearance of Kotorin and various other Pandai licensed characters. Kotoko, yawning, stretched and rubbed her lower back once she thought she was unobserved.

"Do you need some help with that?"

"Yipes!" She straightened and twirled around, almost losing her balance before the questioner caught and steadied her.

"Kotoko-san, you're still such a klutz!" Nobuhiro laughed at her.

"Well, if you'd announce your presence instead of scaring the daylights out of me, it wouldn't happen," she grumped, then peered closely at him. "That's a good disguise, much better than what Okaasan and I ever used. If I hadn't recognized your voice I wouldn't have known who you were."

He released her. "If you had to deal with crazed fans like I have—" His sentence was cut off when she whacked him on the shoulder.

"And who was the crazed fan a little over five years ago? Wanting me to divorce my husband and marry _him_?"

Nobuhiro rubbed the sore spot and laughed. "Touché. I suppose I was reaping what I sowed. But there are a lot of fans crazier than I was!"

"You have that right! Let me tell you about the time… Hey wait a minute, what are you doing here?" She paused, her coat half on.

"Escorting you home," he answered as he pulled the wrap around her and buttoned it. "I'm also attending the fancy Pandai party this evening, and Mrs. Irie invited me over to get reacquainted before we leave."

"Huh!" Kotoko snorted. "No one tells me anything anymore. I guess they think that I shouldn't worry about anything except Irie, Jr. here!" She patted her still flat stomach.

"Well, how about I provide you a little fun, then?" At her raised eyebrows, he elaborated, "I think we ought to begin our plan to tease my old pal. Liven up the party a bit?"

"As long as I can tell Naoki," she agreed with caution. "He's been acting strangely jealous and possessive lately."

"Losing his cool persona, eh?" He chuckled. "Is it because of his impending fatherhood? How did he take the news, by the way?"

"Well, when I first told him, he barely said fifteen words before hanging up."

"You notified him by phone?! Kotoko, Kotoko." He shook his head in dismay.

"Come on! I found out when he was still in Kobe," she explained. "I think he went into shock because he never mentioned it the rest of the time he was there, but at the train station when he returned, he hugged me like he would never let go. That's when I knew everything was going to be all right!"

"I guess so, since that's really unlike him. He doesn't like public displays of affection much, does he?"

"Nope!" She shook her head and showed her dimples as she smiled.

"Man, come to think of it, I remember how the nurses always gushed over him in the hospital! How he must have hated that!"

"They still do, and he still does!" She giggled. "But the veteran nurses finally got used to him. It's only the new students who follow him around with stars in their eyes."

"So the poor guy has to retrain the staff every school year?" Nobuhiro's head fell back as he laughed until he began to gasp. "I don't know who to feel more sorry for—him or you!"

Kotoko twinkled up at him. "Don't worry about me. I'm confident in our relationship. But it _is_ sort of strangely fun to visit and watch them trail after him like puppy dogs. Wow!" she sighed. "What a role reversal from high school and the first year of college."

"Well," he said as he helped her into the back seat of the car, "considering your nearly global recognition, I'm surprised that they even dare."

"Ha! They may recognize the name 'Kotorin' but 'Irie Kotoko' is someone else entirely to them."

"Too bad they don't know that you're much harder to defeat!"

* * *

"Chibi!" "Chibi!" "Down, boy!"

Several Iries combined their voices and strength to pull the large dog off the guest who had just entered the house.

"I'm so sorry!" Mrs. Irie lamented.

"Are you all right, Non-chan?" Yuuki asked, offering a hand up to his friend.

Once he was upright, Nobuhiro dusted himself off and laughed. "At least there's no doubt that Chibi remembers me!" He rubbed the St. Bernard behind the ears. "It's good to see you again too!" After settling the dog, he made sure to bow to all the parents. "Thank you for having me over."

"Nonsense!" Mrs. Irie hugged and kissed him as if he were an additional child of hers. "You're an old friend of our son and are going to be working with our darling Kotoko-chan! Did you hear the happy news? I'm going to be a grandmother!"

"Mo-o-o-m!" Yuuki whined. "Why does everything have to center around you?"

"Okay then, Mr. Smarty Pants. Your father and Ai-san are going to be grandfathers and you are going to be an uncle. Is that enough?"

Her son shook his head in resignation and scowled at his laughing friend.

"Mama," Mr. Irie interposed, "Ai-chan and I are going to watch the news in the den until we need to get ready. Be sure and call us!"

She waved them off imperiously then turned her attention to Kotoko. "Now, how are you feeling? This show today wasn't too strenuous for you, was it?"

"Not at all, Okaasan." Kotoko reassured her. "I'm pregnant, not disabled."

"But this is my first grandbaby," she fussed. "I'm allowed to go overboard. Now you sit down and rest until it's time to get dressed. I'll bring out the snacks for everyone. I prepared the ones with seaweed just for you, Kotoko-chan!"

"Seaweed?" Nobuhiro asked as he joined her on the couch.

She shrugged, making a face. "It's supposed to make the baby's hair thicker."

He laughed. "She cares a lot about you, doesn't she?"

"Over-cares!" Yuuki sat in a chair near them, his hand on Chibi's large head. "Every day she fixes a new 'healthy' dish or gives Kotoko some weird piece of pregnancy advice. I almost feel sorry for the poor baka!" He easily caught the pillow that Kotoko lobbed at his head.

"I see your relationship hasn't changed much," Nobuhiro commented.

"Yep," said Kotoko, leaning to select a snack from the tray that Mrs. Irie had placed on the table in front of her, "still the bratty little brother with a mouth on him."

"Kotoko-chan!" her mother-in-law hissed. Kotoko rolled her eyes and chose an _hors d'oeuvre_ with a seaweed garnish. Satisfied, Mrs. Irie returned to the kitchen.

"So, Kotoko-san," Nobuhiro winked at her before placing a possessive arm over her shoulder, "maybe we need to practice our romantic modeling poses."

Yuuki moaned. "You're not still gaga over her, are you?"

"Who knows?" Nobuhiro shrugged. "We're both celebrities now. I have a lot more in common with her than Naoki-san."

"Except that they've been married for over six years, you goober!" he howled.

"Hush, now, Yuuki-kun," Kotoko warned him. "Okaasan's going to hear if you keep that up."

"I don't care if she—" Despite what he claimed, he broke off when he heard his mother's steps.

Mrs. Irie returned with a tray of teacups. "This one is yours, Kotoko-chan! Decaffeinated! Here you go, boys!" She straightened, arms akimbo. "Where is that older son of mine? He had better not get caught up at the hospital! This is a once-a-year party and it is tradition that all family members attend!"

"I'm sure he will be here," Kotoko responded automatically.

"And none too soon!" muttered Yuuki, glaring at his friend, who smiled blandly back at him.

"I think I'll just call him and make sure," Mrs. Irie grumbled as she deserted them once more.

"Will you please get your arm off my sister?" Yuuki blurted as soon as she was out of earshot.

"Oh! It's _sister_ now, not sister-in-law?" Nobuhiro teased. "Why? We'll be getting lots closer than this at the photo shoots."

"Stop provoking him," Kotoko chided.

"But it's been years since I've spent time with you, Kotoko-san!" He kissed her on the cheek loudly. "We've got lots to catch up on."

Yuuki snorted and Chibi woofed in echo.

* * *

"Is that one of the new maternity dresses you're going to be modeling?" Naoki asked his wife while buttoning his dress shirt.

"No," she replied as she replaced the cap on her lipstick tube. "This is from the non-pregnancy line since I'm not showing yet."

Naoki cocked an eyebrow at the amount of cleavage visible above the low neckline of the burgundy satin dress. "You're showing _something_ ," he muttered as he ran his finger over the edge of the stiff bodice.

"Hey!" She swatted his hand away and corrected the knot of his tie. "I'm enjoying these temporary assets, so I might as well show them off."

He placed his hands on the fabric. "Are you sure you don't need help adjusting the fit? I seem to remember assisting you achieve these measurements with duck stuffing once."

"No!" Kotoko pushed him away. "I spent five minutes getting them just so. Leave them alone."

"You're no fun," he complained as he shrugged on his jacket.

"Hey, I'm getting my picture taken a jillion times tonight for the new fashion campaign. I don't need them lopsided." She gave him a quizzical look. "I still don't understand how high fashion fits in with a toy company."

"You just do what you're told, don't you?" he teased, placing a finger under her chin.

"Well, I trust Dylan-san," she told him with wide eyes.

"The fashion house is basically renting your face and recognizability, and Pandai is using the maternity line as free advertisement for their new preschool toys featuring Kotorin," he explained. "Congratulations! You will no longer _just_ be a sex symbol for teenage boys."

"Oh! That's nice." She grinned. "Plus we can get those toys for our baby at a discount, I bet!"

"Speaking of toys, has that pile in the nursery grown higher?"

Kotoko sighed. "Your father brought another bag home yesterday. You should have heard Okaasan fuss because some were for boys."

"They can argue all they want," Naoki chuckled. "The gender has already been decided." He leaned down and kissed her.

"Ai! You're getting my lipstick all over your face and now I've got to refresh it!" she shrieked at him, pushing him away. She shoved a makeup remover wipe at him before fishing the lipstick out of her bag.

He stood behind her as she reapplied it before the mirror. "Kotoko, have I told you lately how much I love you?"

She capped the lipstick and met his eyes in the mirror. "Naoki, you don't say it with words very often, but I'm never in doubt of your feelings."

His arms encircled her body, hands resting on her still flat abdomen. "Guess what, Mrs. Irie?" he whispered. "We're having a baby together."

"I know," she giggled. "I'm sort of personally involved."

"By the way," he said as he released her and opened the bedroom door, "that makeup remover tastes awful!"

"Oh? That was an organic, all-natural, non-toxic, and what-not sample. I guess I won't be recommending that brand to my clients."

"It'll be fine as long as they're smart enough not to lick them!"

"Who's the brains in the family now?!" she retorted.

* * *

"Kotoko-chan! You look darling!" Mrs. Irie gushed as they made it to the ground floor. "Here!" she handed her a charm, "I bought you an anzan omamori that matches your bag! Let me tie it on!"

"How many does that make?" Naoki whispered to her.

"Um, six. Seven if you count the one in the obi that she purchased last week."

"Enchanting!" Nobuhiro kissed her hand while winking outrageously at her.

Yuuki scowled at the sight. "Aren't you showing too much skin?"

Naoki answered calmly, "I approve of the outfit."

"Yeah, but look at him!" Yuuki waved an arm towards Nobuhiro, now placing Kotoko's wrap on her shoulder, flirting with her in an over-the-top manner.

"Oh!" Mrs. Irie placed a hand over her mouth, "will you be warm enough, Kotoko-chan? We don't want the baby to catch a cold!"

"Ma!" Naoki protested. "Were any of those pregnancy books you bought written within the last century?"

"Onii-chan, you should not ignore so casually centuries of Japanese wisdom!" she scolded. "Papa!" She turned to her husband. "Tell him!"

"Um, Naoki?" His father sent him a pleading look for a peaceful evening.

"Okay," he scowled at his mother. "Dr. Nishikino or I will stop you if your old wives' tales would endanger the baby or Kotoko."

"I would never!" she gasped in outrage.

"Can we get this show on the road?" complained Yuuki. "I'm about to empty my stomach watching that display over there!"

As Naoki helped his wife into the car he whispered, "I think Nobuhiro has riled up Yuuki enough for one evening."

"Don't worry," she patted his hand, "I'm sure he'll behave at the dinner."

* * *

He didn't.

"You pretty boy bastard!" Yuuki shoved his almost-now-former friend as they exited the ballroom in search of the restroom. "Will you stop acting like a gigolo with Kotoko?"

"Gigolo?" Nobuhiro laughed, then placed a hand over his heart. "You wound me. I was aiming more towards 'boy toy'."

"She's married and pregnant—remember?"

"I know that very well, Yuuki-kun. All right, if it will make you happy, I'll stay two meters away from Kotoko-san for the rest of the evening."

"Fine!"

"But all deals are off if she approaches me!"

* * *

"Nobuhiro-kun!" Kotoko hissed in his direction. He raised an eyebrow but didn't come closer so she went to him. "Tanaka-san brought his sister to the party."

"Tanaka?" he asked.

"You know, Tana-chan. The money whiz who is one of the girls Yuuki-kun sees all the time."

"Ah!" He looked in the direction she indicated. "I believe I remember her brother from that crazy party at your dad's place. She has a cute face—cuter than his, at least. I think I'll mosey over there."

It wasn't long before Tana-chan was laughing at some witticism of Nobuhiro, her brother watching indulgently. A few minutes later they headed to the dance floor and began to move among the older couples.

Kotoko was smiling to herself when Yuuki approached. "Want to dance?"

She looked up at him, startled. "Shouldn't you be playing junior executive with the board members?"

"Already done that," he replied tersely.

She turned to look for her husband to let him know where she'd be, but it appeared that he was involved with an unofficial after-hours medical consultation, based on the way his conversational partner was moving his stiff arm. She rose and smiled at her brother-in-law. "I'd be delighted."

Kotoko had expected a much smoother dancing experience from Yuuki but instead found that she was unable to follow his jerky movements. She pounded his toes several times and looked up at him quizzically when he did not berate her for clumsiness. She found that he was not even attending to the steps but was staring at other dancers. Following his line of sight, she saw Nobuhiro and Tana-chan moving slowly to the music.

"Ah!" she breathed.

"What?!" Yuuki's eyes snapped to hers.

"Don't worry about that, Yuuki-kun," she tried to assure him, "he's only—"

"I didn't think that he would have turned into such a-a lothario in only a few years!" he exclaimed, a little too loudly.

"Hush," she admonished him. "Maybe he's discussing investments with her. I told him about her success—"

"No, he's just exploiting his celebrity, leading her on, that—"

"May I cut in?" Naoki stepped between them. Instead of sweeping his wife away, they swayed to the music near Yuuki so he could speak quietly. "Go outside and take a few deep breaths. People are starting to notice your preoccupation. And remember, Tana-chan is a level-headed young woman. She's not apt to be dazzled enough by a pretty face to dump you."

Yuuki flushed scarlet. "We're not in _that_ kind of relationship!"

"Then why are you all hot and bothered?" asked Kotoko.

"It's just—" he hissed in frustration and stomped to the door.

"Ah, young people!" Naoki sighed. "Always making scenes!"

Kotoko giggled and moved closer to her husband. "So unlike you at that age!"

"He's certainly more open with his emotions. Unfortunately, just like I was, he can't figure them out!"

* * *

Kotoko patted Nobuhiro's knee in the car afterwards, concerned that he had laid his head against the headrest and closed his eyes. "Are you unwell?"

"No," he smiled gently at her. "I just overdid a little."

"Do we need to call your doctor—oh!" Naoki's arm reached across her and clasped his wrist while looking at his watch.

"Thanks, doc!" he cracked, "but this is pretty usual. A good night's sleep will take care of everything." His breath hitched once as if he was in pain.

"Don't minimize your distress," Naoki warned him. "Take it easy for a couple days."

Nobuhiro's mouth twisted. "I usually do after late night appearances. This is nothing new," he reiterated.

"Is your personal physician aware of this?"

"Yes. I'm going to see him at the hospital in a few days for more tests."

"Good." Naoki's response was clipped.

"So, Kotoko," Nobuhiro faced her with a faint twinkle in his eye, "is there a particular restaurant or café that you would recommend for a lunch date?"

"Oh?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Yes. Fumie-san has agreed to look over my investment portfolio to check for weaknesses."

Yuuki, sitting in the front seat with the driver, turned around at that. "'Fumie-san'?! Tana-chan hates her first name!"

"Really?" Nobuhiro laughed lightly. "She didn't object to _me_ using it. I told her that the sound of her name reminded me of trees rustling along the Seine."

"You!" Angry thoughts could be seen roiling behind Yuuki's eyes, but his next sentence was fairly mild. "I wouldn't suppose you'd need much assistance, with your Kimura holdings plus your modeling income."

"Well, one can never have too much money, can one? Plus, when the investment counselor is so charmingly attractive… You can pull over in the next block," he instructed the driver.

"This isn't where you lived before," Kotoko said. "I remember your monstrously large house."

"No," he opened the door, "things are a little tense since Dad remarried, so I took an apartment."

"Is it safe being by yourself in your physical condition?" Yuuki had apparently forgotten his earlier ire in concern for his friend.

"I'll be fine. Really!" he assured them, bending down for farewells.

"I know!" Kotoko leaned out the window. "Call me when you go the hospital! I can do my visits that day!"

He waved an acknowledgement before entering the lobby.

The car had only traveled a kilometer before Kotoko and Naoki heard a muffled, "Trees in Paris, indeed!" from the front seat. They squeezed each other's hand as they shared an exasperated yet amused glance.


	5. Chapter 5

Nobuhiro and Kotoko exited the hospital together, arm in arm. "So you still go around and play beauty-shop with the patients?" he asked.

"Yes, I do that at least every other week. My paying clients are mostly college students, wanting to make a good impression on their job interviews."

"I imagine you can charge what you want for that."

She smacked his arm playfully. "I'm not gouging them! It's just that with all the public appearances I've made over the years, I'm able to figure the best way for them to present themselves."

He winked at her. "And it doesn't hurt their self-image to be trained by a hotshot superstar, now does it?"

Kotoko chuckled. "I _did_ raise my rates once I reached a certain level of celebrity. That at least brought my client list down to a manageable number. Of course, I still do volunteer work with some high schoolers, so I suppose it all evens out."

"The problem with you," Nobuhiro pontificated, "is that your heart is too big." He pinched her nose. "You probably wanted to accept everyone, didn't you?"

She ducked her head. "Well…"

"Have you given any thought as to how you're going to handle juggling motherhood plus the modeling contract?"

"Right now I'm not accepting any new clients. I'm just trying to polish up the ones that I have." Kotoko sighed. "That Funatsu, though—!"

"He's the dorky doctor, isn't he?"

"Not a very polite description, but yes, that's him. The problem isn't so much appearance as it is his infernal shyness around the one person that he's fixated on! He could have almost any nurse in the hospital, but no! He has to have Marina-san."

"Ah, that would be the one with ice water in her veins and yen signs in her eyes."

Kotoko drooped. "You see my dellimo?"

"Yep, I do. And I also see that you still have a unique vocabulary."

"What do you mean?" She turned to him but her eyes focused beyond his shoulder. "Ack! Over here!" She dragged him behind a clump of trees.

"What're you up now?"

Kotoko pointed to a couple entering a cafe. "There's Yuuki-kun and Konomi-chan! The high school girl I told you about."

"Ah, yes." Nobuhiro narrowed his eyes. "It would be too suspicious if we walked in behind them, now wouldn't it?"

Her face fell. "You're right. But such an opportunity…"

"Here!" He pulled her into a bookstore across the road. "If you sit here, you can see the front of the café. Wait here while I go do my magic, and I'll tell you all about it later."

"But they won't want me taking up a seat without shopping!" she protested.

"Then look at some books!" He grabbed several at random and shoved them into her arms before exiting. A few meters from the café entrance he slowed his steps, looked over his shoulder at her and winked, then sauntered cockily the rest of the way.

"Hmph! And I have to miss the show! Well, I might as well check out these titles. _Mechanical Engineering for Space Transport_ —! _Housing and Care of Poultry_ —! _Social Constraints in the Edo Period_ —! What was he thinking?!"

* * *

"I swear to you, Kotoko, steam was coming out of his ears!"

"Ooh! I'm sorry I wasn't there! Mm," she took a sip of the drink he had handed her, "thanks for the latte! Okaasan has been so strict with the caffeine. Even Naoki says that a little won't hurt me. So, tell all!"

* * *

"What are you doing here?" Yuuki half stood at his approach.

"Is that any way to greet me?" Nobuhiro teased. "I just happened to be walking by and decided to quench my thirst. Do you mind if I join you?" He didn't wait for an answer but pulled out a chair.

"You—!" Yuuki ground out.

"Hi! I'm Nobuyou!" Nobuhiro greeted a startled Konomi. "Don't tell me that you willingly hang out with this stuffy guy!" He gestured toward Yuuki with his head.

"Um, yes, he helps me with schoolwork," she managed, her head lowered, eyes darting upwards now and again.

"That's the Irie boys for you," he laughed, leaning forward. "Always good with the book work. But if you'd like a little more excitement than he can give you, just holler at me."

"What are you insinuating, Non-chan?" Yuuki raged, although quietly, aware that other customers were whispering about their table.

"I just thought that she might like to go to a concert or amusement park. I imagine this study date is the pinnacle of your originality." Nobuhiro spread his hands in innocence.

"Th-thank you very much, but—"

Konomi's answer was interrupted. "Excuse us, but are you Nobuyou?" a girl in a different high school uniform asked, her friends crowded behind her. At his smile and nod, they began squealing and jumping up and down.

"Can we take a picture with you?" "Would you sign this, please?"

Nobuhiro shrugged at his table companions. "Alas, duty calls. Perhaps some other time, Konomi-chan!"

As he turned to tend to his fans, she leaned over to Yuuki and whispered, "How did he know my name?"

"That baka!" he growled.

* * *

"So, sorry, but it might be a little tense at the dinner table tonight," Nobuhiro apologized.

Kotoko scoffed. "Wouldn't be the first time! And besides," she smiled in dreamy thought, "now that I'm having her grandchild, Okaasan will be all over him if he looks at me crossways."

"If I'd known that, I would've yanked his chain a little harder," complained Nobuhiro.


	6. Chapter 6

"All right! That's it, folks!" Ayanokoji Kenji let the two models know that they could relax their embraced pose.

"Whew!" Kotoko sagged against Nobuhiro, who also appeared in need of a seat. "That was way more strenuous than my Kotorin sessions!" He guided her to a couch placed against the studio wall. An assistant quickly brought over two bottles of water.

Nobuhiro broke the seal of one and handed it to Kotoko before taking the unopened one from her limp grasp. "Rest for a few minutes before getting undressed," he advised her.

"I don't understand," she complained. "I didn't feel tired at all while we were working."

He took a swig. "It's the adrenaline. You've got to let your body adjust slowly to 'real life'." He slanted her a grin. "Not to mention that you've got a little one on board now. That's bound to affect your stamina."

* * *

After they decompressed and donned their own clothes, the photographer approached them. "Would you like to see the raw shots?"

The two nodded and stepped into the conference room, set up as a small theater with video projector. They looked at the hundreds of shots taken that session and listened to the assistants as they made suggestions on selection, cropping, and color correction.

Finally, Kenji turned to them. "Are you sure you two don't have something going on? Because your chemistry just jumps out of the pictures."

Kotoko shot him an offended glare and a "Honestly, Ken-san!" while Nobuhiro chuckled. "Except for my one-sided crush several years ago, I'm afraid not!"

"Well, let me just say that this should be one of the hottest ad campaigns of the season. So don't be surprised if there are rumors of that sort." He muttered, halfway to himself, "When Dylan sees these tonight, he'll probably _start_ them!"

"Great!" Nobuhiro shot Kotoko a mischievous look. "That ought to get Yuuki's goat!"

Kotoko sighed. "I suppose I'll have to warn Naoki about this latest development, then."

"Ha!" he replied. "As if he _really_ has anything to worry about!"

"Okay, folks," Kenji consulted his calendar, "the shots with the 'daughter' model are scheduled for three days from now. Rest up until then."

Kotoko poked Nobuhiro with a finger. "You, a daddy! That's funny just thinking of it!"

"Remember how precocious I was!" he teased right back, but her attention had already veered off.

"Oh, Ken-san?" Kotoko waved her arm. "Is it a closed shoot or can some of my friends tag along, like before?"

"No, it should be all right. It's Satomi-san and Jinko-san, right?" She nodded. "They're always welcome."

"Great!" She beamed at him.

* * *

"I'm so, _so_ sorry!" Satomi arrived, carrying her daughter while Jinko hauled her bag. "The sitter cancelled at the last minute and the drop-off daycare was full. Is there a quiet place where we can stay until you're done?"

"Well, there's the meeting room, but Yuki-chan wouldn't misbehave, now would she?" Kotoko made kissy faces at Satomi's daughter, who immediately held out her arms and cried, "Awnt Koto!"

"Well, at least I can see you have an affinity with children," Kenji commented as he approached. He smiled at Satomi. "As long as she's not disruptive, she can stay here. You can retreat to the conference room if you feel it necessary."

"Thank you!" Satomi bowed breathlessly.

* * *

"No, no, no! Won't!" The angel-faced child stomped both feet and screamed bloody murder. Kotoko and Nobuhiro stared down as the juvenile model's mother attempted to calm her. Whatever she tried didn't work, as the tyke twisted out of her arms and proceeded to have a full-blown kicking tantrum on the floor.

After about five minutes of that, Kenji approached. "We are unable to proceed with that behavior. Get the clothes off her, as we have to cancel for the day."

The parent apologized profusely as she wrestled her daughter to the dressing room.

"Damn!" He ran his fingers through his spiky hair. "This is going to cut it close! I can't trust that she won't pull that again tomorrow, and I don't know where I'm going to be able to find a toddler model quickly enough to meet this ridiculous deadline."

"I know, I'm sorry," Kotoko began. "The rush is all because of my condition…"

"Nonsense!" Both Nobuhiro and Kenji assured her in stereo.

Kotoko sighed then let her eyes travel to her friends. "Hey, how about Yuki-chan?"

"What?" Kenji turned in the direction she was facing. "No, she's an amateur. I can't run the risk."

"Everyone's an amateur in the beginning," Nobuhiro reminded him. "And besides, I've hardly heard a peep out of her since she got here. Looks like a totally different personality than _that_ little prima donna," he nodded in the direction of the dressing room.

"Yes!" Kotoko leaped in. "Yuki-chan is the sweetest thing! Plus, she knows me. Come on, let's give it a try."

"We're already here, after all," Nobuhiro argued. "And she looks about the same size."

"Well…"

* * *

An hour and a half later they looked at young Yuki, asleep on the floor.

"She is very low-key, isn't she?" Nobuhiro commented.

"When she's ready for a nap, she just falls asleep anywhere!" Satomi apologized. "I'm so sorry! And you've already taken so many shots and wasted your time!"

"At least she's not fussing because she's tired." Kenji winced, recalling the earlier model, who had been carried out the door still screaming her head off. "Wait, I think I can use this!" He motioned to the assistants. "Bring out the meadow mat!"

In short order the floor of the platform was transformed into a field of wildflowers. Satomi gently placed her daughter on the small hill created by cushions under the rug. Other than a soft murmur, she did not make a sound.

"Let's see." Kenji made minute adjustments to her position, moving slowly and pausing between each to make sure that she did not awaken. Once he was pleased, he had Kotoko and Nobuhiro lie on either side of her. "Okay, sweethearts, your daughter has exhausted herself and you are watching her with doting affection. Let's see your acting abilities again...now!"

He moved them into various poses, some seated, some with Kotoko pretending to sleep with an arm around the child, some with both of them embracing the child and each other.

Finally he lowered the camera. "This worked out better than I thought," Kenji commented to the room at large. He turned to Satomi. "Your daughter has been a life-saver! Would Yuki-chan be available if follow-up shots are necessary?"

Her eyes wide, she nodded as Jinko elbowed her in the side.

"Great! I know we did this backwards, but we have some paperwork for you. Your little girl may end up paying for her own college education if she continues to have such a good personality for the job."

"Wait until I tell Ryo!" Satomi exclaimed softly.

"Now, Kotoko-chan," he turned to her, "how much of a baby bump do you have so far?"

"Not much!" she admitted, raising her top to show him.

"Hmm! We start the maternity shots next week. We'll have to pad you at first, but there are some where we need the real midriff showing. Why don't you eat heartily for the next few weeks?"

"Not fair!" Nobuhiro protested. "All of us other models are told not to eat and she gets free rein?"

Kenji shrugged. "Do you want to experience childbirth?"

Nobuhiro blanched. "Cancel that complaint, please."


	7. Chapter 7

"A little lower, ah, there!"

Naoki paused at rubbing moisturizer onto his wife's back. "I think you're enjoying this too much!"

"Not really. I've been having itchy skin for the past week. It has been driving me crazy!"

"Well, that's a fairly common occurrence during pregnancy," he admitted. "The fluctuating hormones can cause all kinds of side effects."

Kotoko looked at him over her shoulder. "And I bet you've memorized all of them, haven't you?"

"Well, I did research it a bit…"

She laughed as she pulled the robe back over her shoulders. "It's like having a walking encyclopedia with you around—oh!"

"What is it?" Naoki leaned forward in concern as her hands flew to her abdomen.

She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Our baby just gave me a kick." She grabbed one of his hands and pressed it to her stomach. "There! Did you feel that?"

He gasped. "Yes! Oh, Kotoko," he kissed her gently, "this is nothing at all like reading about it!"

"I know," she agreed happily. "Our baby!"

* * *

"Honestly, Kotoko, if you were going to give out this many Valentine chocolates, you should've used a rolling suitcase!" Nobuhiro was accompanying Kotoko on her hospital visit, a habit that the two had fallen into after the Christmas dinner.

She stopped, her mouth open. "That's a terrific idea! Why didn't I think of it?" she asked, pounding the side of her head with a gloved fist.

"Just remember it next year," he pleaded as he deposited the bag on a bench inside the building. Looking at the contents, he said, "I sure hope these are all _giri_ , considering your condition and all."

"Of course they're _giri_!" she chided him. "Only Naoki gets my _honmei_ , even if it usually isn't sweet at all."

"Do you need help handing them out?" he asked.

Kotoko laughed. "You'd be the one in trouble if you did that. I've heard how the hospital is on high alert whenever you visit. You wouldn't be able to escape until nearly midnight, and all of these _giri_ chocolates would be assumed to be _honmei._ You'd find yourself with at least a half dozen fiancées!"

He shuddered dramatically. "In that case, I'm going to slink down the hall to my appointment and try not to draw attention to myself!"

"I'll be late today," she reminded him. "I'll call for a ride, so you can leave when you're finished. Oops! Better hurry! I see Motoki-chan headed this way!"

"Yipes!" He made a quick exit.

* * *

It was always lively when Irie-chan (as she was referred to by the patients) visited. While nothing could top her Christmas visits, complete with presents, Valentine's Day was a close second. Having ascertained dietary restrictions, each of the gifts to her special clients was selected with that particular person in mind.

When Kotoko finally knocked on Funatsu's office, she was carrying the last two packages.

"Thank you, Kotoko-san!" He bowed his appreciation.

She took a moment to observe him carefully. "You need to have your hair trimmed soon. Make sure you do it by next week if you want to continue to look presentable! And I'm glad to see that you're not wearing those birth control glasses."

"Ko-kotoko-san!" he gasped in outrage.

"Really, Funatsu-sensei-kun, did you seriously think they were attractive? Now, here is the _honmei_ chocolate that you should give Marina-san tomorrow."

"It doesn't seem right for another woman to purchase my chocolate," he demurred. "Plus, isn't the woman supposed to be giving it?"

"Pish-tosh!" She waved his objection away. "That's all right for high schoolers, but we're adults, in the twenty-first century! Marina-san is a career person, just like you! The, uh, unexpectedness of the gesture will really catch her attention."

"I suppose…"

"And if I left it up to you, you'd probably just point to any old Valentine's package in a convenience store, wouldn't you?"

He nodded, abashed.

"So, I happen to know that she has a definite weakness for dark chocolate truffles. These are from the finest handmade candy shop."

"This is probably expensive," he hazarded a guess.

"Don't worry, it will be on your bill," she assured him. "Now make sure you check the nurse's station for her schedule for tomorrow. Don't waste that chocolate!"

"Yes, ma'am, uh, Kotoko-san!"

* * *

Being a male and already the recipient of an indecent quantity of Valentine's chocolate delivered through his local agent's office, Nobuhiro had no need to pay attention to the garish displays of Valentine goodies. However, as he walked past a store, a familiar uniform and hairstyle caught his eye.

"Aha!" He smirked to himself as he checked the crowd. _No Yuuki acting as bodyguard today._ He entered the shop and approached the young woman. "Shopping for _giri_ or _honmei_?" he asked with a flash of teeth.

"Oh!" Konomi jumped and looked at him like a scared rabbit.

"Don't worry," he laughed. "I'm not after your virtue, no matter what tales Yuuki-kun has told you."

She flushed and lowered her eyes. "Um, you aren't?"

"Come on, I'm his friend and I work with his sister. We've just been teasing him because he's been acting like he has a stick up his butt lately. Now," he steered her to another stack of candy boxes, "my original question: _giri_ or _honmei_?"

" _H-honmei_ is what I'd like to say," she spoke softly, "but I don't know if he'd accept it unless it is _giri_."

"Knowing him, he wouldn't recognize what kind it was unless you out-and-out told him," Nobuhiro replied.

She giggled softly. "He _is_ a little dense for someone so smart. That's another reason I hesitate."

"Why?" He was genuinely interested.

"Well, I'm _not_ smart. Remember, he is helping me study."

"Brains is only one aspect of a relationship," he told her. "As much as I like her, Kotoko-san is not Naoki-san's intellectual equal, yet they seem happy enough. Ecstatic right about now, as a matter of fact."

"You mean, the baby?"

"You heard?" He was surprised.

"Yes, Yuuki-kun is very excited to be an uncle."

"Is he?" Nobuhiro grinned in delight. "I'll have to keep that in mind. Another tidbit to tease him with."

"Oh, no!" She showed a distressed face. "Please don't let him know that I told you—"

"Not at all. But we're wasting time. Let's see if I can help you pick out the perfect chocolates for the smart, dense and excited boy that you like. And you can keep secret that I helped you select them!"

"Yes!" Konomi bowed in agreement and gave him a wide happy smile that lit up her entire face.

 _Man!_ he thought to himself. _It's too bad that I follow the Bro Code._


	8. Chapter 8

"Kotoko-chan! You look so beautiful! Doesn't she, Onii-chan?" Mrs. Irie turned to her son.

"Yes, she does, Mother. And, yes, I've already told her so." Naoki rolled his eyes.

"Is that one of Minori-sensei's designs?"

"Yes." Kotoko held out her arms and twirled around, showing the deep blue and purple fabric sprinkled with stars and novas. "She said it was a Kotorin-inspired design and I could keep it!"

"Don't you love the bennies of being a model?" Nobuhiro rose from the sofa and caught her close in one of the model poses. Naoki's eyes narrowed slightly, but it was Yuuki who combusted.

"Get your fricking hands off her!" he yelled, moving to separate them. Kotoko stumbled slightly, but only into her husband's arms. "It's bad enough to see those indecent advertising proofs at the office, but I shouldn't have to look at it in my own house."

"Sister complex, much?" Nobuhiro taunted him.

"Oh dear," Kotoko looked up at Naoki, "this isn't a good start for Kin-chan's grand opening."

"Yes," he agreed. "I'm not sure that he planned for fireworks."

* * *

Besides handing her sentimental father fresh tissues for his tears during the drive to Kinnosuke's restaurant, Kotoko was occupied explaining to Mrs. Irie the "indecent" poses that Yuuki had referred to.

"I don't see why my son is making such a fuss," the older woman exclaimed. "It's just a job, and at least you are clothed!"

"Right!" Kotoko turned to look at the car trailing them. "I just hope Naoki can calm him down and keep them from coming to blows."

* * *

"Welcome! Welcome!" Kinnosuke's grin almost split his face as he greeted the guests.

A quickly whispered conversation with Chris let Kotoko in on another reason for his beaming countenance. "Really! When are you due?" After counting on their fingers, they concluded that Chris was only three months behind Kotoko on the road to motherhood.

"Ah!" Chris exclaimed upon being introduced to Nobuhiro. "You are the young lover, desu!"

"Please don't say it that way, Chris-san," Yuuki urged.

"No, no! I mean the night that I met my sweet Kin-chan-san! You were with Yuuki-kun in the corner, desu!"

"That's right! Christine—Robbins, wasn't it?" At her nod, he snapped his fingers. "I met your mother last year!"

"Really?" The entire company goggled at this, the silence only broken when Mr. Aihara blew his nose loudly.

"Yes, she rescued me when an aging singer tried to recruit me as her latest underage lover."

Satomi and Jinko whispered hastily together, "Do you think he means... _her_?!"

"What a small world this is!"

"Yes, and she mentioned that her daughter lived in Japan and was married to a highly talented and most handsome," Nobuhiro glanced skeptically at Kinnosuke, "chef. Imagine it being you!"

"So did she protect you well?"

He laughed at the memory. "She introduced me to her friends and relatives and I was busy dancing with British royals for the rest of the evening. The over-the-hill cougar didn't have a chance after that!"

"Well, we will have dancing in a little while, even though I can't promise any princesses for you!"

Nobuhiro brought her hand to his lips. "I doubt that, since I see one before me."

"Hey!" The owner of the restaurant waved a spatula at him. "No kissing the mother of my child!"

Chris raised her eyes to the ceiling. "He is so proud, desu!"

"And rightly so," he had to shout over the noisy cheers and congratulations being offered. "You'll have to make sure and check out Kotoko-san's new line of clothes in a couple months!"

* * *

"I'm not sure that Narasaki-san's music is quite what Kinnosuke had in mind for his restaurant opening," Naoki said as he and Kotoko retreated to one of the cars for another box of tissues. The joy of the new generation of Ikezawas combined with the emotions of an apprentice's success and subsequent departure had made Mr. Aihara even more weepy.

"Yes, but Jinko is so proud of him! And besides," she added practically, "it's not as if Kin-chan could afford much more, just starting out!"

"But I don't know how well heavy metal will help the diners digest their meal." The beat pulsed strongly, even out in the street.

"Oof!" Kotoko placed a hand on the now visible swelling. "It's making your child start to dance, though! I hope he or she doesn't inherit my sense of rhythm!"

Due to the slight delay in return because the young couple were dancing with their child on the sidewalk, Mr. Aihara had to blow his nose on one of the new restaurant's cloth napkins.


	9. Chapter 9

"I'm not sure, Kotoko…"

"Come on, Naoki! It's Tonan University's one hundredth anniversary since founding!" She lay on her back like a turtle, pulling up her stockings. "They're trying to get a lot of the famous graduates to show up, kind of like a big reunion!"

"Actually," he said, after tugging her to her feet, "right now you're the famous one in this marriage. I'm just a lowly physician, slaving away in the bowels of Tonan Hospital…"

"Stop exasperating!" She giggled as she pulled his face down for a kiss. "If you can't make it, you can't make it. But Okaasan and Otosan are putting together a bi-i-ig picnic since the festival is scheduled to coincur with _hanami_."

"Trying to tempt me with food, eh?" he chuckled. "You don't know how effective that is! Hospital grub is, well, let me say that at times it could put you _in_ the hospital. And it's 'exaggerating' and 'coincide', by the way."

She ignored the corrections. "Well, _IF_ you can tear yourself away for awhile, I'm going to be busy with Ken-san and Nobuhiro-kun until about three, but I'm free after that."

Naoki frowned slightly. "Another photo shoot? I thought you were done with those."

"The studio shots, yes. But early responses to the campaign have been so positive that they want some follow-up pictures, more casual. We might even have Yuki-chan with us again, as our pretend child."

He shook his head and chuckled. "And Nobuhiro is only seventeen!" He placed his arms around her. "Now that you're so far along, be sure to rest as much as possible. Don't stand on your feet for too long."

Kotoko nodded. "Okaasan is bringing a folding chair for me. Even though I almost feel like I need a crane to get out of chairs now, at least it's better than sitting on the ground." She moaned, "And I still have two more months to go!"

"You'll survive." He gave her a quick kiss then changed the subject. "Has Nobuhiro mentioned his condition lately?"

"He doesn't like to talk about it." She shook her head. "But he's losing weight and had to take more rests toward the end of our shooting schedule."

"Tell Mom to pack more than one chair!"

* * *

"Thanks, Kotoko-san, Nobuhiro-san! These shots look great!" Kenji glanced up from his camera display. "Now go on and have fun!"

"'Have fun,' he says," grumbled Kotoko. "I just want to sit down for awhile. Where did Okaasan end up?"

"She's about two hundred meters that way." Satomi pointed. Her daughter took this opportunity to break free and run to Kotoko.

"Awnt Koko! Up!"

Kotoko leaned forward as far as she was able. "Sorry, sweetie. Not for a little while. Aunt Kotoko can't pick you up until after she has her baby."

The tot blinked then turned to Nobuhiro. "Unca Non, then!"

He laughed, "Sure!" and bent down. He lifted her about two feet off the ground before he set her down suddenly. "Maybe not." His face lost all color and he rested a hand on the grass.

"Nobuhiro-kun!" Kotoko and Satomi both hovered over him. Yuki patted his cheek with her fat baby hand.

"I'm okay," he managed after a minute. "Just got a little light-headed. Sorry, princess." He kissed Yuki's cheek. "Perhaps next time."

"Are you sure you're all right, Nobuhiro-kun?" asked Satomi.

"Maybe we should call your doctor," fretted Kotoko.

"No, no!" he demurred. "Just let me get to the turf that your mom staked out and rest a bit." The girls shared a concerned look but accepted his decision. Each took an arm and walked him slowly towards Mrs. Irie's picnic spot.

"See, here I am," he claimed, "accompanied by the two—no three!—most beautiful ladies at the event. Won't all the other men be jealous!"

* * *

After Satomi left to meet with her husband, Kotoko whispered a few words in Mrs. Irie's ear. She immediately began to fuss over Nobuhiro like a mother hen.

"Thanks for tattling on me!" he hissed once the older woman was drawn away to visit with a neighbor. He stuck out his tongue at Kotoko.

"Well, I get this treatment every day!" She stuck her tongue back out at him in retaliation.

"Mature as ever, I see, Aihara-san!" The dry comment had Kotoko's head spinning around so quickly that she got dizzy.

"Matsumoto-san!" she cried out happily. She attempted to get out of the canvas chair but after a few seconds of watching her struggle, the other woman placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Please, don't try to rise. My secretary had the same trouble towards the end of her pregnancy. How far along are you?"

As involved in their conversation as they were, shortly they were unable to ignore a familiar bellow that appeared to be getting closer and closer. "Yuuko-chan! Yuuko-chan!"

Matsumoto made a tsk-ing sound then turned. "Over here, Kou-kun!"

Instead of following the path, Sudo burst through the bushes. "Where did you disappear to? I thought I saw Irie by the Founder's Table, but it turned out to be just his kid brother. He was with quite a cute-looking student and—Aihara-san!"

"It's Irie now. Don't you remember?" Kotoko waggled her wedding band in his direction.

"Say, Kotoko-san," Nobuhiro leaned towards her, "I'm going to pester Yuuki-kun a little."

"Are you sure you're up to it?"

"Stop worrying!" He kissed her cheek and departed.

"Hey, Aihara—"

"Irie!"

"—are you cheating on my old pal? Why, I remember back in college you followed him around all the time!" He rocked back on his heels. "Ah, college! Good times!"

"Ugh!" Kotoko rolled her eyes and flopped back in the seat, the position enhancing her large stomach.

"Say," he peered closely at her, "you've put on some weight, haven't you?"

Matsumoto whacked him on the back of the head. "Don't be such a baka. Haven't you been keeping up with the news? Kotoko-san is modeling maternity clothes and that was her partner, Nobuyou, the famous model from France."

"Maternity? Then she's not fat but pregnant?"

She rolled her eyes. "Seriously, I don't know why I put up with you sometimes."

"Oh!" Sudo pointed at Kotoko. "Finally I can tell Aunt Sachiki that you're married and pregnant, like she believed all that summer when you worked for us!"

"Come on!" Matsumoto tugged him away. "Let's go before you embarrass yourself even more."

"What?!" he protested even as he went along willingly.

* * *

A few minutes later Nobuhiro returned with a smiling Konomi on his arm. Mrs. Irie caught sight of her and scurried back to the Irie temporary homestead. "Konomi-chan! It's good to see you! Have a seat! Are you hungry? Thirsty?"

Nobuhiro rested his hand on the back of Kotoko's chair as he whispered to her, "I found her hiding behind a tree, watching Yuuki-kun walking around with Fumie-san."

"Oh!" Kotoko replied. "She's a student here and must have invited him. Poor Konomi-chan!"

"Yes. It took a little doing to get the sad expression off her face." He glanced over at the girl and Mrs. Irie, still in conversation. "I have an idea who Mrs. Irie's first choice is!"

"Yes, she believes Konomi is _me_ made over. And, after all, if I was good enough for Naoki, then Konomi must be the one for Yuuki-kun!"

"And Fumie-san is the evil older woman out to seduce him away?"

She snapped her fingers and pointed to him. "Got it in one!"

"But it's Yuuki who will make the final decision," Naoki suddenly spoke from behind them.

"Ack!" Kotoko jumped and clutched a hand to her heart and almost knocked the chair over. Naoki and Nobuhiro steadied it as she fussed at him about how unhealthy it was to startle pregnant women.

"Konomi-san?" Yuuki stood a few meters away with Tana-chan. "Non-chan, are you making mischief again?" He lowered his eyebrows at his friend.

"Not at all!" Nobuhiro raised his chin. "I met her and brought her back to see Kotoko-san, who obviously shouldn't be walking around in this crowd."

"A likely story!" He drew Nobuhiro a little way away after Kotoko waved for Tana-chan to join them.

"Believe what you like," he sneered back at Yuuki. He leaned forward and caught hold of his shoulder. "But you might want to consider Konomi-chan's feelings instead of parading around with another woman in front of her!"

"That's it! I've had it with you having fun at my expense, while you flirt with anyone in a skirt, including my sister!"

Naoki had drawn near while their conversation had intensified. "Yuuki, that comment was uncalled for. You know your friend better than that."

"Maybe I just thought I did!" Yuuki spat as he pulled Nobuhiro's hand off him and shoved him away.

Instead of catching himself and retaining his balance, the other boy fell to the ground. His body lay still while those around him called his name in concern.


	10. Chapter 10

"You've really done it this time," Dr. Nishigaki informed Nobuhiro in the hospital.

"And who are _you_? My new doctor?" Nobuhiro was not in any mood for chitchat.

"Hmm. Snark seems to be at a healthy level," he commented as he pretended to note it on the chart. "I hope I'll be your doctor, or more specifically, your _surgeon_ , and soon. Your little fall-out yesterday afternoon shot you to the top of the kidney recipient list. We just have to keep you as healthy as possible until one becomes available."

Nobuhiro stared at the bed covers. "You know my blood type. It's not likely that a compatible one is going to come along in time."

" _A-a-and_ you're just as cheery and optimistic as I was warned."

"Look, I had enough of hospitals when I was a kid—"

"And you're so grown up now," he quipped.

"I'm not staying here. You can't make me!"

"Luckily for you, there _is_ another option." Nishigaki leaned against the wall and gazed at the patient.

Nobuhiro paused in the act of pulling out his IV needle. "What is it?"

"You can be a guest at Dr. Irie's home until either we get a kidney or your condition worsens to the point that even you would not argue against hospitalization."

"Stay with Naoki-san's family?" he repeated, as if the idea was in a foreign language.

"Yes. He mentioned that he could take your vitals every morning and evening. His mother will be there during the day and has had some experience with recovering patients and semi-invalids. He, ah, also said that Kotoko-san could use the company since she has also been told to cut down on her usual, shall we say, _exuberant_ activities."

Nobuhiro pondered the suggestion. "That sounds great, except that my last encounter with Dr. Irie's brother was a little combative."

"You wouldn't know that from the number of times he's called to check on your condition."

"What?"

"He's actually out in the hall now. I don't think you'll find that your stay at the Iries' house will be contentious."

"Okay, then. It's a deal. And, uh," he rubbed the back of his neck, "could you tell Yuuki-kun that I'd like to see him?"

* * *

"If the paparazzi could see us now!" Nobuhiro joked with Kotoko as they proceeded with their usual morning walk to the park.

"So much for active and sporty," she agreed. "I think a great-grandmother could outpace me!"

"And I'm not much better."

"At least you can walk normally, even if it's slow," Kotoko complained. "Yuuki-kun told me this morning that I waddled!"

"Well," Nobuhiro admitted, "there is something duck-like about your gait."

"And you shuffle as you go. Aren't we a pair?" she laughed as she held onto his arm.


	11. Chapter 11

"Was this Okaasan's idea, by any chance?" Kotoko asked her husband.

He smiled apologetically. "Yes, although I really should've thought of it myself. One last romantic dinner, while it's still just the two of us."

She gave him a small, strained smile as she speared a lettuce leaf with her fork. "Well, you're going along with it, so I'll give you the credit anyway."

He looked carefully at her. "If you're not feeling up to it, we can try again another night."

"No, no!" She waved her hands at him. "My poor mood is probably due to my enforced inactivity."

He chuckled. "Yes, you and Nobuhiro both have been suffering with that! At least yours will be coming to an end soon."

"Naoki," she stared at him intently, "what are Nobuhiro-kun's chances?"

"If a compatible kidney becomes available, he has a good chance, provided his health doesn't deteriorate much more."

Kotoko clasped her hands together and closed her eyes. "Then I pray even harder that it happens soon!"

"So do I—" He broke off as his phone rang."Sorry. It's the hospital," he apologized as he pulled it out.

She nodded at him and returned listlessly to her salad.

"When?" Naoki was staring at her with incredulity. "He actually said that?" After a pause, "I'm not sure, but we're going to find him!" He ended the call then reached out to grab Kotoko's hand. "That was Nishigaki-san. They've located a kidney for Nobuhiro. Your prayers must really be effective."

"How wonderful!" Kotoko's face lit up. "Do you need to go back for the surgery?"

"Well, yes, but Nobuhiro has disappeared."

"What?!"

"He told the doctor that he wasn't sure about it and hung up, and now he's blocking his calls."

"Oh, no!" Kotoko's hands flew to her face. "We must find him!"

"Not a problem." Naoki began running his finger over the screen. "Bingo! In the park not far from our house."

"What did you do?" Kotoko asked. "Put a tracker on his phone?"

"Yes," he grinned at her, "just a little app that lets me know its location."

"Have you done that to anyone else?" Kotoko stared at him.

"Only you. I didn't want you to go missing this far along in your pregnancy."

Kotoko got to her feet clumsily. "We'll discuss this invasion of privacy at a later date. Nobuhiro-kun is more important right now. And I think I know exactly where in that park he is!"

* * *

Just as Kotoko had predicted, Nobuhiro was idly swinging in the children's play area. "We always stop here and rest before returning to the house," she confided in Naoki. "Hey!" she called to her husband, who was at that point halfway to the younger man, then shrugged. "Doctor first, husband second right now, I guess."

The two were already in conversation by the time she arrived. "I feel like if I take this kidney that it will be my last chance. What if my body rejects it? Will my drugs be even less effective if that happens?"

"Why are you borrowing trouble? Don't you understand that this is your best opportunity at this moment?"

Nobuhiro leaned his head back and looked at the starry sky above him. "Intellectually, yes. But it's almost as if I'm being rushed into a decision."

"Yes, you are," Naoki agreed. "It's not a live donor, so there's an 'expiration date'—so to speak—on the organ."

"Rushed into a decision?!" Kotoko burst out as she joined them. "How dare you?!"

"How dare I?" he responded with equal heat. "It's easy for you to say. The probability of you being back to good health soon is much higher than mine. You and the doctors, acting so superior, like know-it-alls—"

Whack! Kotoko slapped him so hard that the swing made a half rotation. "Do you think we're pushing you just for a power trip?" she accused him, tears spurting from her eyes. "It's because we care about you! And seeing you weaken day by day," she wiped her nose with her sleeve, "well, it's not making _me_ feel any better."

"Kotoko, calm down…"

"Kotoko, I—"

"Both of you! Shut up!" she shouted. "Nobuhiro-kun, you get yourself in that car and let us take you to the hospital before Nishigaki-sensei calls out the army to search for you!" She stomped her foot. "And I mean _now_!"

A slow grin spread across Nobuhiro's face. "Yes, ma'am!"

Naoki took his wife's arm and helped her back to the vehicle, her breaths coming in fits and starts, thanks to the exertion and emotions. "Kotoko, you are amazing," he whispered.

* * *

Kotoko stood near Naoki, next to the rolling bed holding Nobuhiro, now capped and with an IV inserted. "You'll be just fine. Nishigaki-sensei is one of the best surgeons in Tokyo, plus my husband will be assisting. And my friend Tomoko-san will be one of the nurses. You couldn't have more talented people in there with you."

"I'd feel better if you could stay with me," he whispered. "Just holding my hand for luck."

She gave him a wavering smile. "Not on your life, buddy. Needles and blood are not my thing."

Nobuhiro laughed weakly. "Says the woman who's almost nine months pregnant."

"This and that are two separate things." She leaned down and kissed him. "There! Another lucky kiss from Kotorin."

"Don't make the doctor jealous," he kidded. "Else the scalpel might slip!"

Once Nobuhiro was wheeled through the surgery doors, she backed up to the wall and breathed deeply for several seconds. "Okay!" she said aloud to herself, "now to the next step."

She walked down to the nurses' station to ask for Marina and was directed to the storage room. Nearing it, she heard her voice and walked right in, only to stagger backwards and cling to the door frame. "Marina-san," she gasped as the nurse and Funatsu broke apart from an embrace.

"Ah, Kotoko-san!" Marina exclaimed, face reddening. "We were just—"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Kotoko panted. "I need—oops!" Her ankles were splashed by the water that suddenly hit the floor between her feet.

"Yikes!" Marina ran to stabilize her stance. "Funatsu-san! Do you want to stay with her or fetch a wheelchair?"

"I'll stay!" Funatsu placed an arm around her waist as Marina sped down the corridor.

Kotoko grinned up at him shakily. "I see things are finally going well for you two."

"Never mind that!" he chided her, blushing. "Have you been having contractions?"

"I haven't felt good all day, and I was feeling tightness every now and then. I just thought they were buxom heights, though."

Not as accustomed to Kotoko-speak, it took him a minute to understand. Just then Marina came running back behind a wheelchair. As they seated and secured her, Funatsu informed the nurse, "Contractions most of the day, mistaken for Braxton Hicks. This might be a fast one."

"Got it. Can you have her doctor paged while I get her to maternity?" She zipped down the hall as he picked up the nearest telephone. "Guess what, Kotoko-san?" she confided while on the move, "Motoki is on obstetrics duty this month!"

"Yay!" Kotoko replied while wrestling her cell phone from her purse. As she thumbed it awake, she explained, "Gotta call Okaasan! My bag's still at the house—Ow!"

"Breathe, Kotoko!" Marina urged her. "Don't push!"

"Huff, huff, Dylan-san? Huff. How did I dial _you_?"

"What is it, darling? You sound terrible!"

"Not feeling that great either—ow! I know, Marina-san, huff, huff! Say, Dylan-san, call Okaasan for me. Oh, that's better. Naoki's in surgery with Nobuhiro-kun and I'm having the baby. I need my hospital bag."

"What?!" Kotoko held the phone away from her ear. "You're not supposed—Wait! Nobuhiro—And Naoki's not with you?"

" _Dylan_! Call. Okaasan. Now," she enunciated.

"Yes, yes. And we'll get there as soon as we can too!"

"Great!" Kotoko leaned her head back to look at Marina. "Looks like it's going to be a full house tonight."

* * *

"Naoki-san?" Nobuhiro spoke before the anesthesiologist placed the mask over his face.

"Yes?" He bent down.

"You know that earlier tonight wasn't about you, don't you? I was just scared."

"I know." Since the boy couldn't see the encouraging smile under his surgical mask, he clasped his shoulder briefly. "I'll see you later."

Nobuhiro chuckled faintly. "I'll hold you to that." He looked up at the anesthesiologist. "I'm ready now."

"Okay, boys and girls," Nishigaki announced, "let's get this show on the road." He nodded at all the medical personnel gathered around the table. "And Tomoko-san, I'm counting on you to make sure that I perform the correct incisions."

Her eyes gleamed above the mask. "It will be my pleasure, Sensei!"

* * *

Kotoko was between contractions and being fitted with monitors when the Irie-Aihara contingent arrived. Mrs. Irie swung between exhilaration and anxiety. "So sorry it took us so long, Kotoko-chan, but Ai-san _insisted_ that we stop at the restaurant on the way."

"I told you, Missus, I've been saving that bottle of sake for months, to toast the appearance of my first grandchild."

"Ai-chan," Mr. Irie put in, "I think my two bottles of champagne would be enough!"

"Sake is the drink of a true Japanese man!" Mr. Aihara argued.

"I don't mean to interrupt," Motoki nevertheless did so, "but the doctor is on the way to have a look-see. And if you stay, you might catch a glimpse of more than you want!"

"Yikes!" Mr. Aihara, Mr. Irie and Yuuki almost collided at the door in their haste to exit.

* * *

"You're doing fine, Irie-san," Dr. Nishikino told Kotoko after peering at and prodding her nether regions and monitoring a contraction. "Seven centimeters dilated, so we should have a baby in a few hours." She peeled off her gloves and patted Kotoko's hand. "The hospital buzz tells me that your husband is occupied with another medical procedure at this moment. You know I'm not as hard-line as some of the other doctors, so I'll let you have other family members attend you, as long as they stay out of my way. I'll come back and check on you in a half hour."

"Thank you, Sensei," she replied. "Motoki-chan," she asked when the doctor left, "can you tell them that I'm decent and they can come in?"

"Sure thing, darling!"

Dylan and Kenji entered, trailed by Yuuki.

"Where are Otosan and Otosan-Irie?" Kotoko asked.

Yuuki snorted. "Those two decided to start celebrating early. They're sampling each other's booze while still debating the best alcohol to toast a new baby!"

"They're well on their way to being soused," Dylan informed her with a laugh. "You could have a three-headed dog and they wouldn't know the difference!"

"Saeki-san!" Mrs. Irie cried, pausing in her task of tying yet another omamori for safe childbirth to the head of the bed. "Be careful what you say! You don't want to jinx the baby!"

Kotoko and Yuuki made simultaneous eyerolls as Dylan immediately tried to pour oil on her troubled waters. When Kotoko focused on Kenji, she frowned and gestured for Dylan to come closer. She grasped his necktie and pulled his ear close to her mouth. "Dylan-san, you know I like Ken-san a lot, but if he tries to take pictures of my lady parts, you're going to be back on the singles market!"

"No, no," he assured her as he eased her choking grip and took her hand in his. "The camera is for the first portrait of mother and child, not the preliminaries. So rela—ow, _ow_ , OW!"

"Breathe, Kotoko-chan!" Motoko urged her, eyes on the monitor.

"Yes! Pant, pant, pant!" Mrs. Irie hyperventilated as she breathed in unison with her daughter-in-law.

Yuuki, feeling definitely extraneous, tugged the now-forgotten suitcase to an unoccupied chair in the corner, sat back and rested his head against the wall.

"And, done!" Motoki announced the end of the contraction.

Kotoko sagged back into the pillows, Mrs. Irie patting her hand. She looked up at a knock on the door. Marina stuck her head in. "All decent?" she asked with a grin. "Look who I found!" She pulled Keita into the room.

"Keita-san!" Kotoko called out. Mrs. Irie glared at him, remembering his infatuation with her daughter several years before.

"You handling this okay, Kotoko-san?" he asked.

"She's a trooper!" Motoki averred. "Want to take bets on how long it'll take?"

He shook his head. "I'm not going to gamble on anything to do with her. She'll surprise us every time."

Kotoko pouted and folded her hands in front of her chest, resting them on her rounded belly. "Money had better not be exchanged about this baby. Not unless I get a cut of the proceeds."

"See?" Marina elbowed Keita. "And you call _me_ mercenary!"

He raised an eyebrow at her before turning back to Kotoko. "I checked in on the surgery your husband is assisting. It seems to be going well."

"Great!" she clapped her hands.

"Tomoko must be keeping them in line," Motoki commented. "Okay, Kotoko, here comes another one!"

"Oh, _oh_ , OH! This one's worse!" she managed between breaths. Dylan also found himself breathing with her to manage the pain as his fingers were compressed tightly, Kotoko having gripped him automatically when the contraction began.

"Yeah, that was bad," Motoki agreed. "Let me take a quick look." She tossed the modesty sheet up. "Okay, I'm paging the doctor. You're going quicker than expected. Looks like it's just as well I didn't lay any money on you."

"We'll be outside, Kotoko-san," Marina told her. "We can stay awhile, since we just finished our shifts."

"I think this is my cue to leave, as well," Kenji said. "Coming, Dylan?"

"NO!" Kotoko grabbed hold of Dylan's arm. "Naoki's not here, so I want you to stand in for him!"

"Why, Kotoko, I'm honored," he began, trying to free himself, "but I don't know anything about birthing babies!"

"That's all right!" Dr. Nishikino entered the room. "You just need to stand there and tell her she's doing fine."

"Kotoko-chan!" Mrs. Irie hissed. "Why are you having him stay when _I'm_ here for you? It was bad enough when Onii-chan was going to attend, but _him_?! This is women's work!"

"Don't worry, Obaasan," the doctor said, head under the sheet. "The baby won't confuse him for you!" She stood up. "Kikyou-san, it's a good thing you called me. Irie-san, after a few more contractions it's going to be time to push."

* * *

"Aargh! Ow!" Kotoko howled in anguish twenty minutes later.

"Kotoko-chan, Kotoko-chan," Mrs. Irie fretted. "Don't shout so. It will upset the baby!"

"Irie-san," the doctor interrupted, "I did a medical exchange obstetrics program in the United States. If Irie-san, um, the younger one, wants to cry out, I assure you that the baby will be uninjured."

"No, no," Mrs. Irie insisted. "When I had Onii-chan and Yuuki-kun, I never—"

"Sensei says I can!" Kotoko spun her head at her mother-in-law, startling Dylan who was patting her forehead with a cool rag. "Dammit, if I want to scream, I'll scream! And I want to, because it _hurts_!"

"Really, Kotoko-chan! All of your travels have made you forget your Japanese heritage!" Mrs. Irie's nerves were clearly shot, with the excitement, adrenaline and the absolute certainty that she was right. "You _must_ listen to me! As a mother, I positively know best!"

"Not for me! Not right now!" Kotoko struggled to sit up and only the doctor's alarmed grip on her feet kept her from swinging them to the side of the bed. "Either you leave or I do!"

"Irie-san," the doctor said. Both Mrs. Iries swung around to glare at her. "I'm afraid I must insist that the younger Irie-san be the one to stay."

Mrs. Irie stamped her foot, starting her younger son awake. "I will not go! This is my first grandchild! I have the right to be here!"

"Not if you are causing the mother distress."

"Right now you're actuating me!" Kotoko yelled.

Even drowsy as he was, Yuuki murmured, "Aggravating."

"I'm sorry, you're going to have to leave my delivery room. Kikyou-san?" The doctor nodded her head.

Before Motoki could escort Mrs. Irie out, Kotoko let out another scream. The nurse wrestled her back in the proper position while Dylan put down the washcloth and straightened. "I'll take her out."

He walked over and took the older woman's arm. "Come on, Mrs. Irie," he coaxed, "it'll be more fun to see the baby when it's all blanketed and diapered."

She had no intention of going willingly and tugged forcefully against his hold. When Kotoko yelled again, Dylan's head automatically jerked around and he managed to get an eyeful over the doctor's shoulder.

"Oh my god," he got out before his eyes rolled up and he collapsed on top of Mrs. Irie, bouncing off an instrument cart on the way down.

Marina slipped in the room quietly. "I heard all the noise and screaming, and— _ohmigosh_ , what just happened here?!"

"Get them out!" snapped the doctor. "I'm busy delivering a child!"

"Sure!" She opened the door and motioned to Keita, who was politely refusing a glass of sake from Kotoko's father. Together the two managed to get the unconscious duo out of the room and into treatment rooms of their own.

"Naoki, Naoki," Kotoko moaned.

"Sorry, baby," Motoki sponged her temples. "He's not here. But wait!" She spun around to the corner. "You! Irie-kun-junior! Over here!"

Eyes deer-in-the-headlights wide, Yuuki pointed to himself. "Me?"

"Get to the other side of the bed. Tell her she's doing great. Hold her hand. Massage her back. Do whatever she wants!" Motoki barked out the orders.

"Might've known you'd cause problems right to the end, baka," he muttered as he made his way to his assigned position, eyes averted from whatever had overcome Dylan.

Kotoko grabbed his hand and put pressure on it with the next push. "Don't! Call! Me! Baka!"

"Okay, okay!" He held onto her through the contraction. "What do you want me to call you?"

She panted, "Kotoko-sama!"

"Not happening." Yuuki wiped her forehead. "Try again."

She sank back onto the pillow. "Just my name then. No 'baka' anymore."

"Okay, that's doable."

"One more thing!" Kotoko grabbed his tee-shirt by the neckline with her other hand and twisted it tight. "Your girlfriend."

"What are you talking about, bak—Kotoko-chan?" he asked.

"Konomi-chan or Tana-chan?"

"You and Non-chan for the past six months—! Why is it so important for you to mind my business so much?"

"Because one of them may someday be the aunt for this baby!"

"Kotoko!" he howled as best he could with half his air cut off by her grip. "I'm only seventeen!"

"Tell me!" Her voice rose as the next contraction began.

"All right, all right! It's…"

His answer was drowned out by what Motoki and the doctor later claimed was the loudest scream ever heard in labor and delivery.

* * *

Naoki walked wearily out of the Intensive Care Unit. He had monitored Nobuhiro earlier in Recovery and had chosen to stay with him until he was convinced that he could truthfully tell his wife that the boy's condition was stable. He rubbed his eyes in exhaustion then glanced over to see Motoki leaning against the wall opposite, a knowing smirk on her face. "Hello, Kikyou-san," he greeted her.

"Hiya, Irie-san," she replied. "Did the surgery go well?"

"It appears so, his prospects look good—wait a minute, how did you know? Did Kotoko tell you?"

"Yes, and as a matter of fact, I have a message for you. You need to proceed to the fifth floor. Do not pass 'Go'. Do not collect 20,000 yen."

"I'm in no mood for your games," he answered crankily, wanting nothing more than to get home and fall in bed with Kotoko. "Why?"

"You'll see when you get there!" she trilled, running her finger and thumb across her mouth. "My lips are sealed!"

* * *

Naoki's concern grew as the elevator ascended. He stepped out and stopped dead in his tracks at the waiting area. His father and father-in-law were passed out on the sofa, draped in each other's arms, reeking of alcohol. Several empty bottles bore witness to their ailment.

"What the—?" He proceeded to Dylan, whose head sported a large bandage on one temple, asleep on the facing couch. Next to him sat his mother, her ankle propped on a magazine table that had been dragged forward. She too slept but moaned slightly as he neared. The only person who appeared to be competent and in one piece was Kenji, smiling as he reviewed pictures on his camera.

"Ken-san," he asked, "what disaster occurred here?"

"Oh! You don't know!" His grin widened as he turned the camera towards him. "A picture is worth a thousand words, man. Have a look for yourself!"

Less than a second after Kenji answered his croaked, "Where?" Naoki was running down the hall to the room. As he burst through the door, the first thing he saw was Kotoko, lying on the bed, mouth open, producing the slight snore that put him to sleep every night. Over in a side chair sat his brother with a blanketed bundle, speaking baby talk.

"Where's my pwecious wittle Kotomi? There you are! Who do you wuv? It's Uncle Yuuki, isn't it?" He looked up. "Hi, Onii-chan! How's Non-chan?"

"What—?"

"Oh, we had some excitement while you were otherwise involved."

"I see that. Uh, Nobuhiro is looking good. Can I—?" He held out his arms.

"Sure!" With surprisingly confident movements, he transferred the baby to her father. As he did so, Naoki noticed that two of his fingers were wrapped together.

"Hello, baby!" he whispered, then spoke to his brother, his eyes not straying from his daughter's solemn gaze. "What happened out there?"

"Oh? You mean ground zero? Well, Dad and Aihara-san drank each other under the table in the hall. Mom was going bonkers in the delivery room, and Dylan passed out from shock on top of her. They're under the influence of heavy-duty painkillers."

"And you?"

"Oh, uh, Kotoko-chan dislocated a couple fingers during the final push." He pushed the blanket farther away from Kotomi's face. "She's a little darling, isn't she?" he asked in a besotted voice.

"Mm? Naoki?" Kotoko's voice spoke drowsily.

"Here!" Naoki carefully handed the precious bundle back to his brother, who immediately began singing a lullaby as he bounced her gently around the room.

"Have you seen her?" Kotoko asked when Naoki took her hand.

"Yes. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you." He kissed her forehead.

"No, no!" she protested. "How is Nobuhiro-kun?"

"Resting easily now. I just left him."

"I'm glad," she murmured with a smile.

Naoki laughed. "So it appears my little brother stood in for me."

"Yes, and he did a great job." She sat up suddenly. "Darn! I finally managed to pin down Yuuki-kun on which girl he likes and then that last contraction hit and I never heard his answer! I bet I can't convince him to tell me again." She pouted as she lay back down, disgruntled.

Naoki snorted as he looked across the room. "Don't worry, Kotoko. Whoever he named has suddenly dropped in the rankings."

"Huh?"

"Our daughter has captivated him. She's beautiful, just like her mother."

She laughed sleepily. "I only hope she has your brains."

"I love you, Kotoko."

"Mm-hm. Love you too."

His whispered, "I love you more" was answered by a snore.

* * *

 **A/N: I believe that this is the end of the Kotoko Volant series. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. (And I have no idea which girl Yuuki likes better.)**


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